


as smooth as dolphin skin

by ohthelinsanity



Category: Free!
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-24
Updated: 2015-04-24
Packaged: 2018-03-25 11:49:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3809299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohthelinsanity/pseuds/ohthelinsanity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto finding Haru in the bath? Totally normal. Makoto walking in to find Nagisa and Haru sharing the tub and shaving their legs? That one was new.</p>
            </blockquote>





	as smooth as dolphin skin

**Author's Note:**

> takes place on that first night Nagisa stays at Haru's house when he runs away from home in the second season. like the 4th or 5th episode or whatever.

“Let’s shave our legs!”

Haru remains at ease in front of his kitchen counter, stirring the contents of the pot and adding various ingredients as he goes. He can feel Nagisa’s impatient gaze boring into his back before he feels a head full of blond hair rub affectionately into his shoulder.

“Haru-chan,” he moans playfully, “Were you listening to me?”

“Yes,” he says shortly. He tastes the soup—pretty damn good—before he hands it over to Nagisa. “Tell me if you’d like it spicier.”

Nagisa sticks the whole wooden spoon in his mouth, sucking it dry. “No, it’s perfect!” he compliments, words messy behind the spoon; he pulls it out with an exaggerated popping. “Like I said before, you’re a very good cook, Haru-chan.”

Haru just nods in thanks before he digs out two bowls from his cabinets and starts ladling out the soup. “Why.”

At first, Haru thinks he’s lost him because he can hear his socked feet sliding and skidding across the hardwood floors. There’s a few _oomphs_ and _ows_ before Nagisa, ever so eloquently goes, “Huh?”

 “Legs. Why do you want to shave them?”

 _“Oh!”_ and then Nagisa’s back at Haru’s side, gripping Haru’s arm so forcefully a bit of soup splashes out of the bowls just as he was trying to carry them to the table. He throws Nagisa a half-assed look of reprimand, but it’s too low energy for Nagisa’s radar to pick up. “Because, then we can swim faster.”

While Haru doesn’t like to dwell on the details of competition, he knows enough that professional swimmers often shave to reduce drag. Haru’s never had a problem with it, and he figures Nagisa hasn’t either because they both don’t really have much leg hair to speak of—any hair, really. “The difference will be miniscule.”

“Aha!” Nagisa waggles a finger as the soup is set on the table. “But you admit it _will_ make a difference, yes?”

He shrugs, diving into his soup. “Eat,” he tells Nagisa because it’s late and he knows he probably hasn’t eaten since he was outside attempting to pitch a tent for a few hours.

Nagisa does, but he lacks the enthusiasm he normally has—it’s a bit off putting how he takes little, infrequent sips. Haru feels like he’s eating faster than him. “After we eat, can we shave our legs?” before Haru can get in a word, he adds, “Just our legs for tonight!”

His brow furrows. “What else is there?” because he’s pretty sure the _other_ place is well covered enough by their suits.

“ _Arms_ , Haru-chan,” and he says it like Haru doesn’t have a brain. Nagisa holds up his own arm, the one holding his spoon, and inspects it closely; soup splashes on his shirt. “You’ll have to do it eventually, if you ever go to the Olympics~” he sings out, and Haru’s gut churns uncomfortably. “Bet Rin-chan and his team do it. If we’re going to make it to nationals, _every_ second counts!”

Yeah, that much is true; Haru can’t really argue with that. But it still seems like a lot of work. “What about Rei and Makoto?”

Nagisa waves a limp hand. “Rei-chan already shaves his legs,” and even though Haru’s observation of these things isn’t too great, Haru believes it. “Besides, he and Mako-chan have the long jammers, they don’t have to shave their legs.”

Haru runs his tongue along the inside of his cheek, watching Nagisa pick and play at his soup. His eyes are a bit unfocused as he stares at his bowl, playing with the noodles inside. There’s a smile on his face, but it lacks its normal luster, and Haru doesn’t like to admit that it worries him, if only a bit. He doesn’t buy that camping excuse for one second. But he figures, if he wants to get to the bottom of it, going along with whatever Nagisa wanted to do that night might be best.

“I think I have some spare razors from when my dad was here that we can use.”

When Nagisa topples him in a dramatic hug, Haru doesn’t have the heart to lament the soup that splashes on his shirt.

 

* * *

 

Haru doesn’t really feel like splashing water all around his bathroom, so he figures the best way to do this is to lend Nagisa a pair of jammers, run a bath, and sit in the tub together. While Nagisa changes and the water runs, Haru ventures into the master ensuite for the first time in several months to look for those razors; he doesn’t find any of his fathers, but he does find a pack of girly packaged razors of his mother’s that boast moisturizing strips as well as a can of shaving cream that boasts lilac scent

He returns to the bathroom to find Nagisa already in the bath, the little dolphin key chain kept on the sink already in the water. The sight is a little childish but Haru keeps his sarcastic little huff to himself, instead stripping out of his clothes and sitting in the other side of the tub to join him. He’s glad his tub is big enough for two people.

“Always wearing your swimsuit, huh Haru-chan?” Nagisa giggles, drawing his legs in a bit to accommodate. Haru hikes one leg up out of the water, settling the back of his calf on the edge of the tub so he can lather it up with soap.

“I wonder which one of us is more flexible,” Nagisa muses aloud, hiking his own leg up with considerably less grace, splashing some water out of the tub—Haru guesses it can’t be helped. With a few huffs and puffs Nagisa tries to put his leg behind his head, but all that does is get more water on the floor; Haru hands him a razor from the pack and the shaving cream and hopes the deadpan look on his face is good enough a message.

“Oooh! My sister has this stuff,” Nagsia squirts a generous amount onto his palm as he settles his leg on the edge like Haru. “It smells super good.” He reaches over and squirts a long strip of cream on Haru’s exposed leg.

“That’s too much,” he complains.

“Nu-uh!” he sticks his tongue out. “You need to get it covered up real well. You don’t want to cut your leg, do you?”

He does not, so he drops the matter and starts lathering up his leg, from the bottom of his jammer to his ankles, coating it white. Nagisa hums a little tune as he does it before taking the excess and smearing it across his face, cracking a joke about how his face definitely needs a shave.

Nagisa pretty much digs in with carelessness that Haru isn’t willing to take—he’s quick and speedy and flicks foam and water everywhere as he splashes water on the razor and his leg without much consideration of their towels and phones resting on the floor beside the bathtub. Haru takes his time, shaving from his ankle up, and tries to get every area the first time, unlike Nagisa who has no problem running back and giving the patches a quick touch up.

“Good thing our legs aren’t too hairy—we might have had to go through the whole box,” Nagisa says. Haru stops shaving his leg (its halfway done) and watches. “You know, one time Nanako had to—”

“Did something happen with Nanako?”

Nagisa whips his head up and blinks rapidly, looking baffled. “Huh?”

This wasn’t how Haru intended for things to go. “Nanako,” he tries again. “Did something happen with her? Or any of your other sisters?”

He tilts his head to the side. “No? Why do you ask?”

“I’m trying to figure out why you’re here.”

Surprise flashes in Nagisa’s eyes for a _brief_ moment before it’s replaced with his trademark pout and puppy dog eyes. “That’s so cold, Haru-chan! I’m here to see you!”

“I thought you were going to watch the stars.”

“…oh! Well!” Nagisa averts his eyes and starts running the razor down his leg a little more quickly. Haru notices his leg is already clean shaven at this point. “I was. But then I decided it’d be nice to stay with you instead of going all the way home so late.” He swallows thickly. “Don’t you think?”

Haru doesn’t know what’s going on at his home, but whatever it is has him quite rattled. “Yes,” he drawls, the word feeling a little lethargic and unsure on his tongue. “It’s just odd. I was only asking, Nagisa.”

Nagsia smiles at him, and while it’s softer than usual, it doesn’t feel quite as forced. “Don’t worry Haru-chan.”

Looking away, Haru focuses on shaving again. He hooks his hand under his calf and raises his leg a little higher, ignoring Nagisa’s teasing about _flexibility_ and _positions._ They’d probably make him blush if they were clever enough, but they’re quite lame.

There’s a buzzing on the floor, and Haru tilts his head to see his phone is ringing. Again, Nagisa teases him about someone actually _calling_ him for once before he leans down and picks it up, a bit of a difficult task. “Hello.”

It’s Makoto. _“Haru? Are you home?”_

“I’m always home by now.”

_“So you haven’t been out lately?”_

His voice has a strange tone to it. “Makoto, what’s wrong?”

Nagisa’s eyes light up. “Mako-chan?”

_“Haru, please tell me that’s Nagisa.”_

Again with the strange tone. Haru takes the phone off his ear and presses the speaker button before he lays it back down on the rug beside the tub. Nagisa takes the opportunity to shout Makoto’s name again, this time louder, and Haru hears him breathe a heavy sigh.

 _“Nagisa,”_ Makoto has his stern captain voice. _“It’s late. Why aren’t you home?”_

“Haru-chan and I are having a sleepover!”

 _“Sleepover? What—it’s a school night and.”_ A sigh. “ _Your mother is worried sick about you. She called me telling me you didn’t come home this afternoon. You shouldn’t worry her like that.”_

And just like that, Nagisa’s enthusiasm deflates again, this time replaced with fear. “I’m fine! I’ll….I’ll call her. I forgot to tell her I’d be gone all day. Sorry for the trouble, Mako-chan.”

Makoto pauses over the phone. _“…Right. Well, I’ll just tell her that you’re at Haru—”_

“NO!”

Nagisa’s shout is so loud, Haru actually drops the razor into the water.

“I mean,” he tries again, clearing his throat. He tosses Haru an apologetic look. “I’ll do it. Don’t worry about it. I’ll call her as soon as you hang up, okay?”

Another long pause. _“Okay, I’ll leave it to you. Haru?”_

There’s an unspoken question with the call of his name. “I’ll take care of it,” he says quietly, reaching for the phone again. “Bye, Makoto.”

Haru gives Nagisa a long, disapproving look—he withers under his gaze.

“Oh, c’mon!” he tugs at his blonde hair. “Stop looking at me like that!”

“Call your mother.”

Nagisa splashes some of the bathwater in Haru’s eyes. “I _will,”_ and he waves the razor around. “Once we finish shaving.”

He’s stalling, Haru knows it, but he figures Makoto will be over in a few minutes to help. After all, looking after Nagisa is a two parent job. When Haru sighs, his shoulders give and he hunches over his leg and concentrates on not nicking his leg.

They’re both lathering up their other leg with shaving cream when Haru hears his front door jingle. Nagisa doesn’t catch it because Makoto doesn’t announce himself like usual. In fact, it’s almost silent until his heavy footsteps carry down the hall and he knocks on the bathroom door.

“Haru?” Makoto says on the other side. “Did Nagisa already leave? Where—”

Makoto opens the door and freezes in the doorway.

“Mako-chan!” Nagisa cheers, splashing more water from the tub.

Makoto blinks once, twice, his eyes darting back and forth. “…What are you two doing?”

Haru, with his leg lifted in the air, doesn’t spare Makoto even a glance as he glides the razor up his leg. “Shaving.”

Nagisa nods his head enthusiastically. “We’re making ourselves more water dynamic.” Nagsia kicks the clean-shaven leg up the edge of the tub and wiggles his toes. “Come feel! We’re as soft as _dolphins,”_ and he squeaks the little dolphin key chain.

At that mention of dolphins, Haru’s head snaps up, eyes a bit wide in wonderment. “I hadn’t thought of that,” he says seriously. He turns to Nagisa and declares, “This was a good idea.”

“Yay!”

“Makoto, the whole team needs to start shaving their legs.”

“Double yay!”

Finally, Makoto seems to blink himself out of his shock, wandering slowly to the side of the tub. He grabs the towels and starts soaking up some of the excess water that’s splashed out of the tub. “My jammers cover my legs.”

Nagisa’s already on it. “Your chest!”

Haru shakes his head. “Makoto doesn’t have any chest hair,” and Makoto gives a sheepish laugh. “But you should do it anyway.” Haru shaves the last stripe of shaving cream away and tries to reach for Makoto’s hand and puts it on his shin. “Feel it.”

Pink dusts his cheek as he runs his hand up and down, the color running red when Nagisa grabs Makoto’s _other_ hand and makes him caress his leg as well. But his fluster disappears to make room for general appreciation. “Oh, wow. That is really smooth.”

“Like a dolphin.”

“Yes, yes, I see that, Haru.”

“There’s another razor~” Nagisa sings. “I don’t think you’ll fit in the tub, but you can sit on the sink!”

But Makoto is a little better focused than Haru is. “Nagisa,” he says gently. “Have you called your mother?”

His smile is wiped clean. “No, not yet. But I will, I promise!”

Haru stands up, almost tripping when Nagsia attempts to clamp his legs around one of Haru’s feet—Makoto reaches out and hooks an arm around his waist to steady him as he steps out. “No,” and Haru grabs Nagsia’s phone. “Call her _now_ and tell her where you are.”

Nagisa worries his bottom lip, scrunching his nose in thought. “I’ll _text_ her,” he amends “and tell her I’m _alright.”_

Makoto shoots Haru a worried look that spells out _what happened?_ And Haru returns with a shrug that’s obvious enough. Obviously, whatever’s bothering Nagisa isn’t something they’re going to get out of him tonight.

“Fine,” Makoto sighs, running a hand through his hair. “He catches the time on his own phone and realizes that it is getting kind of late. “But we’re going to talk about this before practice tomorrow, okay?”

Nagisa nods weakly, waving his hand limply as he sends his mom a quick text. Haru notices he turns his phone off before he tosses it back on the now damp towel, and Makoto has enough sense to move it. “Okay?” Makoto repeats, voice firm but kind.

 _“Okay,”_ Nagisa laughs lightly, but it sounds a little empty. “Now, Mako-chan,” he stand up abruptly out of the tub and steps out to grab the last razor in the package. “It’s your turn.”

 

* * *

 

In the end, it seems Nagisa didn’t turn off his phone after all judging by the text message he got from Rei after he had seen the photo Nagisa had snapchatted of Haru shaving Makoto’s legs when they weren’t looking.

_Your legs look very beautiful, Haruka-senpai, Makoto-senpai! Next time, I’ll lend you my exfoliator; it does wonders to your skin!_

The things Haru did for Nagisa and his team.

**Author's Note:**

> like, I know there's a huge chance that the whole Iwatobi team was already shaving their legs or whatever but let me have this. I can't believe there aren't more fics where they all have a gab fest in the bathroom and shave their legs together??? it's the perfect prompt??? I love it/??


End file.
